Reluctant Kahlia firing up calendar

A Kawakawa firefighter has become a reluctant pin-up girl in a fundraising calendar.

Kahlia Scott, whose day job is at the famous Trainspotter Café, is Miss June in the 2013 New Zealand firefighters calendar. The calendar also comes in a male version rippling with six-packs, and is raising money for the Child Cancer Foundation and the New Zealand Firefighters Sports Association.

It's a good cause but it's not a role Kahlia put her hand up for.

''They signed me up without telling me and told me I couldn't back out. I blame Wayne [Martin], my chief,'' she joked.

The attention was even greater at a launch party in Auckland earlier this month when she had to join the other models on the catwalk, and her day job is no refuge either. The calendars are on sale at the cafe so customers regularly ask her to sign her page.

Despite being roped in to posing for the calendar, Kahlia said she was glad to have joined the Kawakawa Fire Brigade.

''Our brigade's like a big family. It can be challenging at times - about a month ago I went to an accident where I knew the people. That was the first time for me, so that hit me a bit. But other than that it's really good, and it's great to know you're helping people and their families.''

The calendars have been produced since 1990, originally to help firefighters compete overseas in events such as the World Firefighter Games. Since then the project has also raised more than $700,000 for child cancer.

Kahlia is the youngest model in the 2013 calendar but not the only Northlander - the cover girl, Arden, and Miss April, Jasmine, are volunteers with the Onerahi Fire Brigade in Whangarei.

Calendars can be bought on-line at www.firemanscalendar.co.nz or from your local fire brigade. The organisers are already on the hunt for firefighters for the 2014 calendar and say Northland men in particular have been shy about putting their names forward. Contact the New Zealand Firefighters Sports Association if you think you're model material.